Complejo de almacenaje de granos y oleaginosas en Mato Grosso. La agroindustria es clave en la promesa de Brasil de reducir sus emisiones de gases contaminantes. Crédito: Mario Osava/IPS

Por Mario Osava

RIO DE JANEIRO, dic (IPS) – Brasil pretende cumplir sus metas climáticas en el sector agrícola estimulando algunas técnicas ya conocidas, que reducen las emisiones de gas carbónico, pero que pueden incrementar el uso de agrotóxicos, según activistas.

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Zukiswa Zimela spoke to MARCIA LEVAGGI, manager of the Adaptation Fund Board

DURBAN, South Africa, Dec 9 (IPS) - The issue of money is still a substantial part of the negotiations at 17^thConference of Parties in Durban, South Africa. IPS spoke to Marcia Levaggi, manager of the Adaptation Fund Board, on the importance of ensuring that developing countries have the funds to deal with the effects of climate change.

Marcia Levaggi, manager of the Adaptation Fund Board. Credit: Zukiswa ZImela/IPS

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By TerraViva Reporters*

Farmers need help to prosper: but what kind of help? Credit: FISD/IPS

DURBAN, Dec 8 – (TerraViva) Global warming poses a threat to the livelihoods of millions of people who work the land; it is a critical issue for Africa’s climate change agenda. Campaigners agree that changing weather patterns and higher temperatures could spell disaster, but they are arguing for two contrasting responses here at the U.N. climate conference in Durban. Continue Reading

By Happy Ntsanwisi – Nthavela Newspaper*

DURBAN, Dec 6 – (TerraViva) A just-published study of trends in temperature, rainfall, droughts and flooding in the Sahel region of West Africa over the past 40 years provides further evidence of the threat posed by climate. Continue Reading

By Andre Marais – Amandla Magazine*

DURBAN, Dec 7 – (TerraViva) At several sites across Southern Africa, school children are learning the principles of permaculture, a set of agricultural techniques which avoids disturbing the soil, instead keeping it covered with mulch to preserve water and fertility. TerraViva encountered a group of these children who were lucky enough to visit the U.N. climate conference along with two of their trainers. Continue Reading

Kofi Annan says lack of funds must not hold back the fight against climate change. Credit: Zuki Zimela/IPS

By Busani Bafana

Durban, Dec. 7 — The global financial crunch is not a reason to avoid climate-friendly investments that will help Africa’s agriculture grow says former UN secretary-general, Kofi Annan.

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Camino en la selva amazónica de Acre para transportar árboles caídos. Crédito: Mario Osava/IPS

Por Fabiana Frayssinet

RÍO DE JANEIRO, 7 dic (IPS) El Senado de Brasil aprobó un nuevo Código Forestal en medio de críticas ecologistas y elogios de sectores vinculados a la gran agricultura. El proyecto debe volver a la cámara baja y ser sancionado por la presidenta Dilma Rousseff para convertirse en ley. Continue Reading

DURBAN, South Africa, Dec 7 (IPS) Civil Society organisations are adamant that women are the ones who will be hardest hit by climate change because of the role they play in society as providers for their families. 

Dorah Marema, coordinator of Gender and Climate Change in Southern Africa. Credit: Zukiswa Zimela/IPS

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